Rodrigues - At a glance

Rodrigues at a glance

Country An integral part of Mauritius, with its own regional assemblyLocation 560km east of MauritiusSize Rodrigues has an area of 108km2; it is 18km long (west–east) and 8km at its widest point (north–south). It is roughly equivalent in size to the British Channel Island of Jersey and is surrounded by 14 satellite islets.History Discovered by Arabs, then Portuguese explorer Diego Rodriguez, in 1528. Some believe Diogo Fernandez de Pereira got there first in 1507. The first settlers were French Huguenots fleeing France, who arrived in 1691. The French colonised the island in 1725; the British took it in 1809. A dependency of Mauritius until 1968, when Mauritius gained independence, Rodrigues has remained part of Mauritius. Since 2002, it has had a degree of autonomy and has been governed by the Rodrigues Regional Assembly. Nature Valleys and forest with rare wildlife, rugged coastline, beaches and coral reefsClimate Generally warmer and drier than Mauritius. In summer (November to April), temperatures range from 29°C to 34°C, and in winter (May to October) from 15°C to 29°C. Subject to drought, winds from the southeast and prone to cyclones.Capital Port MathurinPopulation Approximately 42,000 (2014); 98% of Creole originEconomy Based on subsistence agriculture and fishing. Tourism and handicraft production are growing.Language Creole is the everyday language; French is widely spoken and English much less soReligion 97.5% of the population is Roman Catholic. Anglicans, Adventists, Hindus, Muslims and Rastafarians form a minority.Currency Mauritian rupee (Rs), which is divided into 100 cents (cs).International telephone code +230Time GMT+4Electricity 220V AC